Scottish Powerchair Football Association

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 February 2019.

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Photo of Christine Grahame Christine Grahame Scottish National Party

If I could ask members to gather themselves. [

Interruption

.] I have not called you yet, Mr Balfour.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

You are very much so, and you have obviously excited everyone else around you.

The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-15106, in the name of Jeremy Balfour, on the Scottish Powerchair Football Association. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament recognises the work of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association (SPFA), which was formed with support from the SFA in 2015; notes that it was established in recognition of the growth in the sport’s popularity in Lothian and across the country, with the Peak Sports Centre in Stirling considered to be the sport’s home; believes that it is run by volunteers who have made a genuine difference to the lives of powerchair users in Scotland; understands that, in March 2018, the SPFA applied for charitable status; hopes that the SCIO process will enable it to access greater funding opportunities; commends it on organising a national league and two knockout competitions, the League and Scottish cups; understands that, in May 2018, the SPFA organised a para-football event at which a number of players were selected for the Scotland international squad; believes that the organisation’s commitment to the sport has enabled it to almost double the number of teams in the country, and wishes all involved with the SPFA continued success.

Photo of Jeremy Balfour Jeremy Balfour Conservative

This afternoon, I have the pleasure of opening this debate on the Scottish Powerchair Football Association.

I am incredibly supportive of all the work that the SPFA does to grow and develop powerchair football in Scotland and internationally. I am sure that I am speaking on behalf of all members of the Parliament as I take this opportunity to welcome Ryan Galloway, who works for the SPFA, and a number of players, who are watching the debate from the public gallery. [

Applause

.]

The Scottish Powerchair Football Association is the official governing body of powerchair football in Scotland and was formed in 2015. Its various roles include organising competitions and events and promoting participation in the growing sport of powerchair football.

Powerchair football is a unique sport, which provides opportunities for people with a high level of impairment to access football. The game is for anyone who uses a powered wheelchair or who has limited movement in a manual wheelchair. The sport is fast paced and dynamic and allows players of all ages, disabilities and genders to compete alongside one another. Players range in age from 12 to 58.

A few of my colleagues, including Brian Whittle, took part in a Sunday afternoon game last year. I am sure that Mr Whittle will tell us about his experience later in the debate.

The game involves two teams, each made up of four players, who use powerchairs that are equipped with foot guards to attack, defend and spin-kick a football in an attempt to score goals.

There are two national competitions: the SPFA league cup and the Scottish cup. A national squad is being developed and there is a desire to take the sport to an international level. I am pleased that international games will take place later this year.

Around 70 players are currently involved in the sport in Scotland. Here in the Lothians, the Lothian Wolves powerchair football club was established in 2016 by Lothian Disability Sport. The club has had tremendous success. It regularly trains at Heriot-Watt University, and the hard work of the players and their coaches has obviously paid off: Chris Jacquin, who started to play the sport only in 2016, was recently selected for the first ever powerchair football Scotland squad. That is a fantastic achievement and—with my natural bias—I wish Chris and the team every success in the years ahead.

Research commissioned by sportscotland and the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that disabled people in Scotland are less active, have poorer experiences of school physical education and are less likely to participate in sport as adults. That is something that the SPFA, along with its players and other sporting organisations, is trying to tackle.

It wants to raise awareness of powerchair football through the many partnerships that interlink the health, voluntary and sports sectors, among others, in order to see the sport become accessible for all. Since the SPFA’s creation, powerchair football has seen a huge rise in popularity and there is a clear trend that that is increasing, due to the work of volunteers and others.

I would like to highlight the desire to make powerchair football accessible to all wheelchair users. Given the importance of sport for a person’s wellbeing, I fully support the SPFA’s mission and drive to see that happen. However, there are barriers that are preventing it from happening, and they need to be addressed. The way that wheelchairs are set up and the speed at which they work stop some people from playing. Too often, health boards across Scotland have a “no do” attitude, whereas they should be far more positive. Another barrier concerns sports centres. Although there are centres across Scotland that can accommodate a single powerchair football team, very few venues—in fact, only four—are able to host multiple teams, which is absolutely essential for the creation and maintenance of league and national cup competitions. Any tournament requires the use of at least two courts, with additional space needed for viewing, for officials, and for players to move around in their powerchairs safely.

In addition, there is a need for changing places toilets. Even now, the SPFA’s current home in the Peak sports centre in Stirling lacks acceptable toilet facilities. Our own Lothian Wolves club does not have a changing places toilet at Heriot-Watt. It would be great if such sports centres would consider installing that type of toilet. At the Peak, the SPFA has access to a mobile hoist and changing bench, which fits one accessible toilet but leaves little room for carers and safe transfers. That is totally unacceptable and is a huge barrier to those who would like to play powerchair football, but cannot access it because they simply do not know how they are going to be able to go to the toilet.

I support the call for existing sports venues to be updated with changing places toilets. I am pleased to report that my amendment to the Planning (Scotland) Bill, advocating the building of changing places toilets in all new suitable sports centres, has been agreed to with cross-party support. That is positive progress for increasing accessibility for people with disabilities, and I hope that it will pave the way to create a more accessible and inclusive society. However, that will take time, and I urge sports centres that are already up and running to look at the issue seriously.

The players, members and volunteers are a class act, and Scotland can certainly be proud of them. I therefore urge the Scottish Government to continue to invest in disability sport and its governing bodies, to help to provide the infrastructure that is needed for cultural change, and which ultimately is needed to support and encourage the disabled community’s involvement in sport.

Photo of Bruce Crawford Bruce Crawford Scottish National Party

I congratulate Jeremy Balfour and thank him sincerely for securing this debate on an important issue.

As the motion that we are debating today points out, the Peak, in my constituency, is the home of Scottish powerchair football. I know from those who work at the Peak, which is part of the Active Stirling portfolio, that they take pride in providing an array of inclusive sports activities, suitable for people across a range of disabilities as well as with abilities. However, as Jeremy Balfour rightly pointed out, more needs to be done on issues such as changing places toilets.

I understand that classes started in powerchair football, in particular, in association with Stirling Riverside Football Club last August. It is accessible to anyone who uses an electric wheelchair, which—if I have the technicalities right, Mr Balfour—requires a bumper that allows the player to dribble, pass and shoot; something that I could never manage when I was playing football myself. I liked the way that Jeremy Balfour described that in his speech.

With the support that is provided by the Scottish Powerchair Football Association, there are now weekly classes in the sport, with monthly league fixtures taking place at the Peak. It is clear that powerchair football has taken off in a significant way in Stirling, while opportunities across the country have also opened up. Despite the improvements that are still required, I believe that all of those involved in the initiative deserve to be commended.

Jeremy Balfour has already covered a lot of the specifics about powerchair football, so I would like to look at the wider offering of disability sport in my constituency. The Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club, also based at the Peak, is open to adults of any age and gives members the chance to take part in full-length curling, short curling and competition curling. Full membership is just £28 and the club trains on a Wednesday afternoon. I know that Active Stirling also opens up its sports classes to people who have a physical, sensory or learning disability. Currently, swimming classes are being run on a Friday evening at Stirling high school. Each class is supported by qualified coaches who can adapt each class to the needs of the children who take part in order to develop their swimming skills.

Beyond the actives that are provided by Active Stirling, Stirling City All Stars provides recreational football in Raploch community campus for adults with disabilities. That involves weekly coaching sessions run by volunteers, and the club gets involved with tournaments up and down the United Kingdom every year. Members pay a fee of just £20 a year for membership, which includes the opportunity to take part in social events.

The national swimming academy at the University of Stirling also benefits many of my constituents. The facility provides competitive swim coaching to junior swimmers with a physical disability. It is available to young people over the age of nine, with land training available at the poolside before swimming sessions.

Stirling has a well-deserved international reputation for developing local athletes. It is clear that lots of work is going on to ensure that people with disabilities get to benefit from the widest possible range of activities. However, it is also clear that a lot more work needs to be done to include as many people with disabilities as possible in sport. It is true to say that the more we work together to achieve that, the better we can improve the confidence that people with disabilities have in their local sports services. That level of inclusion is good not only for physical health but also for mental wellbeing.

I am delighted that I have had the opportunity to share some of Stirling’s experiences with regard to this topic. Again, I thank Jeremy Balfour for bringing this important subject to the chamber.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

I call Brian Whipple—Whipple? I mean Whittle. I beg your pardon, Mr Whittle.

Photo of Brian Whittle Brian Whittle Conservative

I answer to many things, Presiding Officer.

As a seasoned powerchair footballer myself, I welcome this debate and congratulate my colleague Jeremy Balfour on bringing it to the chamber.

I was not long into this job when I had the opportunity to take part in powerchair football with the Ayrshire Tigers, and I invited some of my colleagues to join me—it was interesting to think of John Scott and I, along with Colin Smyth, being on the same sports team. Of course, we were ritually shown up by the powerchair footballers themselves, but it was a real pleasure to be part of that and to see the way in which powerchair teams train together—they put us to the sword with a great deal of glee.

Following that, I managed to organise a parliamentary team to go along to the Peak in Stirling during the Scottish championships, at which we took part in an exhibition match. We played our joker card, which, of course, is Alexander Stewart, who now has the nickname of Davros because, in his attempt to take a penalty, he manoeuvred his chair backwards, forwards and sideways, and spun about like a little top, but the ball stayed exactly where it was. I have video evidence of it that I am quite happy to share with anyone who would like to see it.

Of course, the unflappable Dean Lockhart also took part, and it was interesting to watch him spinning around and going in no particular direction—in fact, I am sure that, in his attempt to manage his powerchair, he actually moved postcodes. Within 10 minutes, we were beaten 6-0. The lesson there for anybody who wants to take part in sport is that they have to train. The athletes involved in powerchair football do exactly that and train as hard as anybody.

The debate highlights barriers to participation. I was struck by the powerchair footballers’ talking about the ability to get to training and to facilities. The transport required to take equipment and powerchairs to venues is one of the big barriers to the sport, so we must consider the equipment that is needed. As Jeremy Balfour eloquently suggested, we also need to consider what is required at the venues. With any sport or activity, it is important that we look at and break down the barriers to participation, so that we give as many people as possible the opportunity to participate.

As always, I will discuss the importance of access to opportunities and inclusivity, which is one of the key pillars of health. Over the years, I have been lucky to coach people with so-called disabilities, and I still coach some now. They train along with the rest of my squad and they are not given any special treatment—the approach is the same as for any other athlete. Every single athlete who I work with has some kind of special need that is individual to them. Whether someone has a physical disability and is in a wheelchair or has a mental disability, the approach is exactly the same—that is what any athlete of any description would want.

Therefore, I challenge the idea that we should approach the sport differently from how we support any able-bodied sport—I want to break down that barrier. The term “disability” is a misnomer, because it is all about ability. To see where ability lies, one just has to watch the MSPs’ attempt to play the sport—as I said, we got beat 6-0. Would I go back and do it again? Absolutely, as it was some of the greatest fun I have had since becoming an MSP.

Again, I congratulate Jeremy Balfour on bringing the debate to the chamber and giving us the opportunity to discuss the issue.

Photo of Jackie Baillie Jackie Baillie Labour

I thank Jeremy Balfour for bringing the debate to the chamber. I declare an interest, as I am the convener of the cross-party group on muscular dystrophy. I want to namecheck John Miller of Action Duchenne for bringing the debate to my attention and phoning my office every two minutes to insist that I speak and to confirm that I would do so. I am therefore delighted to be speaking in the debate.

It is important that we celebrate the work and achievements of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and the positive impact that it has on individuals with physical difficulties, never mind half the Tory party. Given where powerchair football started, it is even more remarkable to see what the association has achieved today. Back in April 2010, there were just six players but, in nine short years, powerchair football has become the fastest-growing disability team sport, with more than 1,100 participants across the UK, 62 of whom are based in Scotland and play for the Scottish Powerchair Football Association.

In December 2018, the Scottish powerchair football team took part in their first international match, which I understand was against the English powerchair football team. The less said about the result the better but, as I have learned in my 20 years as a Scottish Labour MSP, it is the taking part that counts, although it has to be said that recent results are much more promising. Just days ago, the Scotland blue team came second and the Scotland yellow team came third at a national tournament in Leeds, so everybody had better watch out, because they are working towards the top place, and that is without the help of Brian Whittle and his colleagues.

More than half the players have a muscle-wasting condition which, to able-bodied people, can seem daunting, demoralising or even debilitating. However, powerchair football has given people with complex and varied physical disabilities the opportunity to play as part of a team at amateur and professional levels, and it has allowed them to reach their potential while doing something that they clearly love and enjoy.

Muscular Dystrophy UK, which is a charity that is close to my heart, has collaborated with the Scottish Powerchair Football Association to sponsor the Muscular Dystrophy UK premiership and the MDUK premiership in Scotland until the 2021 season. The hard-working staff and volunteers at Muscular Dystrophy UK and the Scottish Powerchair Football Association cannot be praised enough for the welcome space that they have given to individuals in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK who might not have discovered their skill for powerchair football had it not been for the opportunity that was presented.

Powerchair football brings together people of all ages, genders and backgrounds to form one united team. It brings communities together, ignores people’s varying levels of physical ability and bonds them over a shared love of football. The dedication that is shown by powerchair players and the physical and emotional barriers that many of them have had to overcome to get to where they are today show how passionate they are about the sport and how deserving they are of every success in it. The transferable skills that are learned through playing powerchair football, including teamwork and communication, will undoubtedly have a positive effect on every aspect of a player’s life.

Praise should be given to the local powerchair football clubs across the country that, year on year, have inspired new potential powerchair players to take up the sport. The continuous support of coaches and volunteers creates a huge amount of positive energy for the players, and it inspires them to achieve even greater things.

A number of overseas powerchair football clubs, as well as the European Powerchair Football Association, have supported the SPFA. Their generous support has helped to buy the necessary equipment for the players and to make venues more accessible. However, there certainly needs to be more funding and investment in powerchair football. I will not let the minister off lightly, because some clubs still struggle to find an appropriate venue and to buy appropriate equipment. Many powerchair football players end up having to crowdfund in order to get suitable wheelchairs for the sport, which can cost up to £8,000.

Again, I thank Jeremy Balfour for securing the debate, which I hope will not only inspire potential powerchair football players to try out the sport but encourage the minister and others to look at how they can provide investment and awareness, so that the SPFA, which is a fantastic organisation, can continue to go from strength to strength.

Photo of Alison Johnstone Alison Johnstone Green

It is fair to say that disability sport in Scotland has had a huge number of achievements to celebrate recently. Wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid, from Alexandria, has won an amazing 11 grand slams in singles and doubles tennis. Most recently, he won last year’s US open, and he also won two medals at the 2016 Paralympic games.

T34 sprinter Maria Lyle, from Dunbar, has won a whole armful of medals in recent Paralympics, world and European championships and Commonwealth games, including a silver medal when she represented Scotland at the 2018 Gold Coast games.

In August last year, the UK team won the BC1 boccia world championships with a team that included three Scots: Stephen McGuire, Patrick Wilson and Jamie McCowan. Brian Whittle and I challenged Stephen McGuire to a game in the garden lobby. We foolishly thought that we might have a chance, but we were soon put right.

In March, Scotland will play host to the biggest wheelchair curling event outside of the Paralympic winter games, when the 2019 wheelchair curling championships come to Stirling.

I particularly highlight that Chris Jacquin, who plays for Lothian Wolves, has been selected for the first ever Scotland powerchair football squad.

Disability sport is going from strength to strength, and we are becoming more aware of the achievements. The athletes are receiving the attention that they deserve. Today we are talking about the amazing growth of powerchair football, which we can add to the list of achievements. I thank Jeremy Balfour for providing us with the opportunity to congratulate the Scottish Powerchair Football Association on its work in developing the sport in Scotland, and I am really pleased that we are debating the subject in the chamber.

I have been involved in athletics for almost 40 years, so I know that developing a sport can be challenging. There are teams to establish, league rules to draw up, officials to be trained and retained, funding to find for kit and venue hire, and so much more. There are particular challenges when expensive equipment is involved. It involves time, dedication, perseverance and passion, even more so when, as with powerchair football, the sport is relatively new, and limited support exists.

Clearly, this is the fastest-growing disability sport in Scotland, so the organisers and players have the necessary qualities in spades. The number of teams that play the sport has doubled in four years, and in that time the game has gone from being a grass-roots organisation to having well-established leagues and a national team. Having watched a little powerchair football—just on the screen so far, but I will give it a bash—I am not surprised. It looks great fun and enthralling, and I can understand why people get hooked.

The first European champions cup will take place in 2020. It will be fabulous to see Scottish players have an opportunity to take part in that. Thereafter, I hope that the SPFA can move the sport on even further by hosting the cup in Scotland for the first time. I offer congratulations from the Scottish Greens on that incredible expansion of the sport in a short time.

As colleagues have said, there are additional challenges, such as finding venues that are able to accommodate large numbers of powerchair users. As the SPFA notes in its helpful briefing, only a few sports centres are suitable for the football tournaments and even the sport’s home base at the Peak sports centre in Stirling lacks the necessary accessible toilet facilities. We can and must do better.

Although the development of the sport has been impressive, there are barriers to further growth. The SPFA is concerned that there are currently no powerchair football teams south of Edinburgh and north of Dundee. We must ensure that Scots who want to try out the sport are able to do so, wherever they live.

That is not easy, because of the complexities and costs of holding powerchair football taster days, which can cost £800 to £1,500. The SPFA has no budget for that. It has appealed to the Scottish Government for support with funding and signposting to sources of funding, and I look forward to the minister’s comments on that when he is closing the debate.

I understand that some players have met with resistance from the national health service wheelchair service to adapt powerchairs so that they can go at the necessary speed in order to play the game properly. As the SPFA has stated, there is an opportunity for it to work with the NHS wheelchair service to promote powerchair football when, for instance, a person collects a new chair. The association has already been in touch with the minister on those issues, so it would be interesting to have an update on that.

I congratulate the members of the Lothian Wolves team, who play at Heriot-Watt University. In September, the team came third in the league cup and they are currently five points clear in the Scottish powerchair championship. I wish them well in their campaign for promotion to the premiership.

It is great to see another sport grow and thrive in Scotland. No matter what their age, disability or background is, everyone should have the opportunity to take part in sport, professionally and for leisure.

Photo of Joe FitzPatrick Joe FitzPatrick Scottish National Party

I join other members in congratulating Jeremy Balfour on securing this evening’s important debate.

Before I move on to talk specifically about powerchair football, I will say a few words about disability sport in general. A number of members raised that subject.

First, Bruce Crawford gave a fantastic advert for the disability sport facilities in the Stirling area, which is the home of powerchair football in Scotland. It was good to hear Alison Johnstone remind us of the significant successes that we have had in disability and para-sports in Scotland.

Alison Johnstone, Jeremy Balfour and perhaps others made a number of points about the general challenges that people have with disability sports. For example, most of us take it for granted that if we go to take part in a sport we will be able to access the toilet facilities. I agree with Mr Balfour that we need to improve on the fact that that is not yet the case for many people. The changes that the Parliament unanimously supports in the context of the Planning (Scotland) Bill will help in the future.

I hope that those who are in charge of leisure facilities across Scotland are hearing the call for changing room facilities, and that such facilities are at the centre of any refurbishment work that is going on. Only if such work is at the top of the list in our leisure facilities and other places across Scotland will we make major progress. It is a basic right for people to be able to use a toilet when they enter our public buildings and I hope that we will make progress on that.

Football is Scotland’s national game. It is enormously important to individuals, communities and the Scottish Government. It does not always get the most positive press; many of the discussions that we have about football in this chamber focus on its negative aspects. Yes, Scottish football has its challenges—and we are working with clubs, the football authorities and other stakeholders to address those—but it remains a powerful force for good.

Football can inspire individuals and deliver a range of positive outcomes. We see that in the breadth and depth of the excellent community activity work that is delivered by the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Professional Football League Trust, the Scottish Football Partnership Trust and individual trusts and foundations. It is remarkable right across Scotland.

The debate has highlighted the positive impact that our national game is having for people with disabilities. Football is our national game and should be enjoyed by everyone. Mr Whittle made the point about ensuring that there are no barriers to participation in sport, and that is equally true for football.

Jackie Baillie gave us a brief history of powerchair football going back to 2010. The Scottish Powerchair Football Association was founded in 2015 in response to the growth in the game, and—as Jackie Baillie also noted—it has continued to grow since then.

With support from the Scottish FA, it has achieved a great deal in a short time. It now organises a national league competition and two cup competitions—the Scottish cup and league cup. Last year, it arranged a para-football event at which—as we have heard—a number of players were selected for the Scotland national squad. Its work has helped to almost double the number of teams in the country and it is playing an absolutely crucial role in the growth and development of powerchair football in Scotland. However, I recognise that there is more to do to extend its reach. Its success, however, can largely be attributed to the dedication and enthusiasm of its volunteers—some of whom are in the chamber—who are the lifeblood of the association.

It is important to acknowledge the work that the Scottish FA has been undertaking in this field. Although it may not generate headlines, it is groundbreaking work and is leading the way in world football. In 2017, the Scottish FA rebranded its work on disability football as para-football, with the aim of ensuring greater emphasis on the diverse work that it carries out—including with groups dealing with issues such as dementia and mental health—as well as creating a stronger voice for those groups within the game.

The para-football Scottish national association will be the first dedicated national association in the world. As well as funding all member organisations for domestic and international competitions, a representative of the association is eligible for a place on the Scottish FA board as the representative of the non-professional game, meaning that disability football will have its own voice at the top table for the first time. I pay tribute to the SFA—and to David McArdle in particular—for this commendable initiative.

Like others, I have seen first-hand the positive impact that powerchair football can have. One of my early engagements following my appointment as Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing was attending the powerchair football league cup final on 9 September 2018, which was won by my local powerchair football team, the Tayside Dynamos.

Even if they had not won, it would have been a really enjoyable day. To anyone who has not been to a powerchair football match, I highly recommend it. It is as competitive as any other football match—perhaps even more so. There is also the complexity that virtually everyone who is involved in the game is a volunteer and we had the interesting situation in which the referee gave points against her son. It was an absolutely fantastic and exciting game.

I encourage members to go along and support their local powerchair football teams. If they do not have one, perhaps there are folk we could get in touch with to support the development of more teams. Such development is being supported in some parts of Scotland by the local professional team, for example by Clyde Football Club, which I commend for its action.

On 13 November last year, I met John Miller from Action Duchenne, which was mentioned by Jackie Baillie. John’s grandchild plays for the Lothian Wolves team. Originally, our discussion was arranged to be a wider discussion about support, but we mostly talked about powerchair football. We talked about how to improve and support the sport going forward and other issues that were raised today by members such as Jeremy Balfour and Alison Johnstone.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of powerchair football and the importance of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and its volunteers.

I know that the Scottish Powerchair Football Association has applied for charitable status. I hope that success in that will allow it to access more funding opportunities to further strengthen the game. Much has been achieved in the short time since the association was formed in 2015, and I have no doubt that the sport will continue to go from strength to strength. The new para-football Scottish national association will provide further opportunities when it formally goes live later this year.

I congratulate Mr Balfour on securing the debate and I pay tribute to the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and its volunteers for their dedication to this excellent cause.

Meeting closed at 17:47.